Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Security+ 🏆 • Network Security 🌐 • Protocols 🔗 • Difficulty: free

Definition

A Virtual Private Network is a technology that creates an encrypted tunnel between a device or network and another network, most commonly over the internet. VPNs protect data in transit and enable remote or site-to-site access to internal resources as if the user or system were connected locally.

Examples

  • An employee uses a remote access VPN to securely connect to internal company systems from home.
  • Two office locations use a site-to-site VPN so their networks can communicate securely over the internet.

Discover 🔎

The internet is not a private network. Without protection, traffic can be observed, altered, or redirected. VPNs exist to create a protected pathway across untrusted networks. They are widely used for remote work and for securely connecting networks that are physically separate.

A VPN can be thought of as a secure tunnel. Your traffic travels through it in encrypted form, reducing the chance that attackers can read or tamper with it while it crosses the internet.

Remember: A VPN protects traffic in transit and enables remote connectivity, but it does not automatically make a device secure.
Open the interactive lesson Browse more topics

Tip: The interactive version includes progress tracking, decks, and premium deep dives.